Packers draft grades: Amari Rodgers a home run in third round

Quietly, the Green Bay Packers are putting together a strong draft class. They’ve addressed three of their biggest needs in the opening two days and added some real talent to the roster.

The latest pick was Clemson wide receiver Amari Rodgers in the third round, and the Packers traded up to get him. Yes, that’s a wide receiver in the third round. It’s been six years since Green Bay drafted a receiver as high as the third round.

Rodgers can be the slot receiver who picks up yards after the catch that this offense has been missing, and that’s why I’m giving the pick a strong grade.

All offseason long, I’ve loved the idea of Rodgers landing in Green Bay. His skill set is exactly what this offense needs and he’s an exciting player to watch.

After the Packers missed out on the top receivers in the first two rounds, Rodgers in the third was the pick I was desperate for. So much so that I put it out into the universe shortly after the Packers picked Josh Myers in the second round.

Rodgers will likely spend a lot of time lined up in the slot. That’s where he was most used at Clemson. According to Pro Football Focus, Rodgers spent 86.3 percent of his pass snaps in the slot last season.

But Matt LaFleur will also move him around and can use him in many creative ways like how Tyler Ervin was used last season. The key will be to just find ways to get the ball in his hands. Outstanding after the catch, Rodgers will make defenders miss and use his speed to make huge plays in this offense.

Joe Marino of The Draft Network wrote that Rodgers “thrived with manufactured touches and then using his physicality, burst, vision, and decisiveness to work after the catch”.

Rodgers now gives defenses one extra headache. They’re already worried about Davante Adams carving open the secondary. And Aaron Jones running between the tackles or catching passes out of the backfield. And Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s home-run ability. And Robert Tonyan dominating in the middle of the field.

Now they have to worry about how Rodgers impacts the game. He can line up anywhere and is tough to stop once he has the ball in his hands. Rodgers can play a role similar to Deebo Samuel for the San Francisco 49ers.

Oh, and he can be a returner on special teams.

Rodgers is going to play a huge role for this team in the coming years and could be a home-run pick. Now the Packers just need to get Aaron Rodgers back and this offense will be scary in 2021.